News for Pissed Jeans

That’s right folks! Sub Pop is coming to The Big Apple to partake in the College Music Journal musical festivities. We will celebrate this year with a showcase in the vibrant borough of Brooklyn at The Knitting Factory on October 18th. The eclectic lineup for our Octrocktober Celebration is as follows:

Daughn Gibson:
“All Hell is a subtly clever record that pits one type of music that strongly evokes one era— here, country music— against another, namely this decade’s sample-heavy culture. Gibson does a lot of questioning within that framework, both seriously and tongue-in-cheek. All of that makes for a rewarding record to think about, and to intellectualize, but All Hell wouldn’t be nearly so fun to listen to if it weren’t for Gibson’s ear for melody. His thick baritone breezes confidently over the songs, lassoing hook after hook, redeeming his burnt-out characters through song.” – Pitchfork (Album review of All Hell, 2012)

Poor Moon:
“These songs are gutsier in their arrangements, more surefooted in the songwriting, and more certain of the band’s identity.” – Pitchfork (Album review Poor Moon LP, 2012)

METZ:
“On their debut, Metz roll up the lurch of post-rock, the jagged flicker of post-punk, and the fist-pump chant-alongs of hardcore, into a concentrated clump of chaos.” – Spin (5 Best New Artists for August, 2012)

King Tuff:
King Tuff finds Thomas leaving the garage for soaring, unbridled pop accessibility— the first track, after all, is called “Anthem”. His drawling hooks are variously dedicated to provoking physical movement or singing bratty lines about breaking the rules, bumming around, not giving a shit, and other charming, unapologetic matters of youth. (Overlooked Records, 2012) – Pitchfork

Pissed Jeans:
“There’s a blunt but effective wit at work here, pressed into the service of misanthropy.” – New York Times

On King of Jeans, the fantastic and also most recent Pissed Jeans album, there’s a great song called “False Jesii Pt. 2.” This song is all about not bothering to do the things that might, just maybe, make your life easier/better/more successful. It’s a truly great song. That Pissed Jeans made a video for this particular song two full years after its release is, believe you me, the kind of life-imitating-art-type situation that is not lost on any of us.

Shawn Brackbill who directed the video rounded up some girls for the shoot on Facebook and Craigslist, we believe, and after watching the video billions of times at Lacey’s desk, we decided that Lacey needed to talk to one of these ladies about what it’s like to be in a Pissed Jeans video. Lacey picked the blonde. Her name is Megan Muth and this is what she told Lacey about the video:

LS: First off, tell me a little about yourself.
MM: I like mustaches, Philly shows, PISSEDJEANS, and cats and cats and cats.

LS: Had you heard of Pissed Jeans before the video shoot?
MM: ’Course! Been listening to them for a few years. Love ’em.

LS: How was spending the day with them? Which one is your favorite and why? Who’s the worst?
MM: It was wonderful. Matt is fucking hilarious I’d say he’s my favorite. No one is the worst they’re all awesome!

LS: Who was more uncomfortable shooting a video, you or the band?
MM: Randy. Only Randy.

LS: How’d you hear about the video shoot?
MM: I think it was I’m a fan of them on Facebook and they sent out a mass message about it. Yeah that sounds right.

LS: Have you been in any other videos?
MM: Nope!

LS: Tell me about the shoot. How long was it? Was it fun or boring? Did the girls all get along? Any good stories from the day of?
MM: I think we spent more time drinking beer and eating pizza/fucking around than shooting. Everything was awesome, all the girls were really cool. A girl and I made up a dance move of laying down on the stage to bend over in between takes and sip our beer. We needed midgets to hide behind the stage and hold our beer for us.

LS: Would you be in another music video? For which band?
MM: Well I would LOVE to be part of another Pissed Jeans video. But other than them Circa Survive. They’re my favorite.

LS: What current bands have the best videos? Where do you watch music videos?
MM: Circa actually just put out a pretty rad video for their new single. I usually just read about videos being released somewhere on the internet.

LS: Do you think people will recognize you after this video comes out?
MM: Probably not since I dyed my hair. Who cares I probably look like an idiot anyways.

LS: Do you think any of the dudes in Pissed Jeans are hot? You don’t have to name names if you don’t want…
MM: Secret crush on Matt. Get at me.

LS: The lyrics to this song are about not bothering to do the things that you maybe should or could do. What are some things that you can’t be bothered to do?
MM: Putting on pants, shower on the reg, hit the gym so it looks real nice. I wish I was punk enough to not work.

It is also worth mentioning right here and right now, that there is, forthcoming on Sub Pop Records, a new 7" single by Pissed Jeans coming out on Oct. 26, 2010. The songs on this single are “Sam Kinison Woman” b/w “The L Word.” And the cover bears a sentiment that we can all relate to/with, namely this one: “YOURLIFE IS WORTHPISSEDJEANS.” You can pre-order this single right here.

We here at Sub Pop have been busy bees this year, releasing tons of awesome records, and bringing music to the people. It’s not just us, however. The bands have also, in the words of Retribution Gospel Choir, been “workin harddd!” and have done an unusual amount of in-studios over the past couple of months. Here they are for your listening pleasure:

Originally conceived in 2007 as a celebration of the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the USA, and hundreds of similar stores internationally, the first Record Store Day took place on April 19, 2008. Now celebrated the third Saturday every April, it’s the one day each year that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists and labels to celebrate the art of music. We at Sub Pop Records have put together a whole raft of releases (seven in all!) to help entice people into record stores to enjoy the many pleasures offered there. Each destined for future collector’s item status, the Sub Pop Record Store Day 2010 series of releases is sure to appeal to the minor OCD tendencies of every true music enthusiast. To find a participating store, go here.

The Album Leaf “There Is a Wind” 12” (sp878)
The “There Is a Wind” 12” features 2 new tracks (“Landing in Snow” and “Resonations”) and 2 alternate takes on songs from the popular 2010 A Chorus of Storytellers album (an acoustic version of “There Is a Wind” and the Jamuel Saxon sunburnt remix of “Falling from the Sun”). Also available now: The Album Leaf’s A Chorus of Storytellers SP805, CD/2xLP.
Side One:
1. There Is a Wind (acoustic)
2. Landing in Snow
Side Two:
1. Resonations
2. Falling from the Sun (Jamuel Saxon sunburnt remix)

Dum Dum Girls / Male Bonding 7” (sp876)
Two brand-new and exclusive tracks for Record Store Day 2010, one each from LA’s Dum Dum Girls and London’s Male Bonding. Both bands have debut albums out this spring on Sub Pop. Also available now: Dum Dum Girls’ I Will Be SP840, CD/LP. Available May 11th: Male Bonding’s Nothing Hurts SP854, CD/LP
Side A: Dum Dum Girls “Pay for Me”
Side AA: Male Bonding “Before It’s Gone”

Happy Birthday 7” (sp874)
Two brand-new and exclusive tracks for Record Store Day 2010 from Kyle “King Tuff” Thomas’ Happy Birthday. Both of these tracks, like those of Happy Birthday’s self-titled March 2010 debut album, were recorded and mixed at Kyle’s home studio. Available March 16th: Happy Birthday’s Happy Birthday SP850 CD/LP.
Side A: “Shampoo”
Side B: “Alien”

Soundgarden “Hunted Down” 7” Reissue (sp12a)
This reissue of a Sub Pop classic was arranged specially for Record Store Day. “Hunted Down” was released in June 1987 as the band’s first single and was later available on Screaming Life. This single is pressed on translucent orange vinyl. The original, now a Soundgarden collector’s item, was pressed on blue vinyl.
Side A: “Hunted Down”
Side B: “Nothing to Say”

CocoRosie “Lemonade" 7” (sp884)
The A-side to this limited-edition single is an edit of one of the stand-out tracks from the new CocoRosie album Grey Oceans and the B-side is the band’s cover of the Beach Boys’ classic “Surfer Girl.” Grey Oceans, CocoRosie’s Sub Pop debut (and fourth full-length album overall) will be released on May 11, 2010. Watch a ““Smokey Taboo” trailer from Grey Oceans.
Side A: “Lemonade”
Side B: “Surfer Girl”

SP20: Casual Nostalgia Fest CD (sp879)
We at Sub Pop Records celebrated our 20th anniversary in 2008 with, among other things, a 2-day music festival July 12th and 13th at Marymoor Park, somewhat unimaginatively called SP20. We’ve collected here some of our favorite performances from the SP20 festival. Sub Pop will be donating all of the profits from the sale of this CD to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund

It’s that time of year again where we get to tell you our favorite things from the year 2009. There were going to be some novelty entries like “Top 10 Rudest People in the Office” and “Top 10 Top 10 Lists” but then I realized that these lists are only marginally interesting anyway, so why beat a dead horse by throwing in a bunch of office in-jokes. Anyhow, I’ve taken it upon myself to offer up a package of all of Sub Pop’s 2009 full length releases to a random lucky commenter who adds his or her very own Top 10 list in the comments section, fancy bullet points not required. (Bonus points to whoever comes up with the Top 10 Form of Paying Attention Columns of 2009. Just sayin’.) It’s been a nice year, see y’all in 2010!!!! *UPDATE! WE’VE PICKED A WINNER AS OF 12/15/09. THANKSFORPLAYING!*

Sasha Barr

maserati/ zombi split

alela diane to be still

big business mind the drift

elton john tumbleweed connection

ben nichols the last pale light in the west

black moth super rainbow eating us

sleepy eyes of death dark signals

fungi girls seafaring pyramids

wilco ashes of american flags

the sound all fall down

no age losing feeling

mark sultan hold on

Coraline

Up

Andy Kotowicz

Blues Control Local Color

Fuck Buttons Tarot Sport

Pissed Jeans King of Jeans (can’t help it)

Akron Family Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free

Moritz Von Oswald Trio Vertical Ascent

VA 5 Years of Hyperdub

Demdike Stare Symbiosis

Black to Comm Alphabet 1968

Reigning Sound Love & Curses

Disrupt The Bass Has Left the Building

Sasha Morgan

Phosphorescent To Willie

Abner Jay The True Story of Abner Jay

The Feelies The Good Earth (re-issue)

V/A Mata La Pena (Mississippi Records world music comp!)

Girls – Album

Kurt Vile Childish Prodigy

Neil Young Archives – Volume 1: 1963-1972

Strange Boys The Strange Boys and Girls Club (new favorite as of this week)

Michael Hurley Ida Con Snock

Fletcher C. Johnson – He hasn’t released a full length, but I may as well count this as an album of the year for me based on how many times I’ve listened to his songs on Myspace

discovered that I like bleu cheese (I’d been trying, this year it worked)

getting back on my bicycle (not really related to totaled car but it helps)

discovering the television show MI-5 (called Spooks in the rest of the world)

seeing early Melvins open for Green River and “Houdini”-era Melvins

Ruben Mendez

Spider Spider (Thriftstore)

The Beets Spit in the Face of People That Don’t Want To Be Cool (Captured Tracks)

Strange Boys Strange Boys and Girls Club (In the Red)

Reigning Sound Love and Curses (In the Red)

Eat Skull Wild and Inside (Siltbreeze)

Obits I Blame You (Sub Pop)

Talbot Tagora Lessons in the Woods or a City (Hardly Art)

Kurt Vile Childish Prodigy (Matador)

Jacuzzi Boys No Season (Florida’s Dying)

Moon Duo Killing Time EP (Sacred Bones)

Nobunny Raw Romance cassette (Burger)

There were/are so many more though… Intelligence, Dan Melchior, Thee Oh Sees put out a few (many) full lengths that I can get behind as well. I also want to throw in Christmas Island and the Dutchess and the Duke, too. There were a ton of great albums out in 2009!!! I’d also like to add Jason Smith stage diving during the Mummies while wrapped up in toilet paper.

Honorable Mentions – Arthur & Yu and the Moondoggies collaboration over the spring / summer…Rosalie Sorrels If I Could Be The Rain (not a new record but I discovered this 1967 LP this year and probably listened to it more than anything else in 2009 — seriously)… Muswell Hillbillies by the Kinks (for my money their best record and sorely overlooked, at least by me until this year…)…Familiars reunion show at the Funhouse… Party Weekend 09 – Labor Day weekend when Davila 666, Ty Segal and the Beets were all in town. That was so much fun

Andrew Sullivan

mika miko we be xuxa

thomas function in the valley of the sickness

spits school’s out

vivian girls everything goes wrong

paul baribeau new demo tape

Thee Oh Sees help

seeing where the wild things are on mushrooms

Quintron on Halloween in New Orleans

Riding my bike from my living room to California

our new haus

Lacey Swain

Chuy Pancakes the dog

Coconut Coolouts/Personal & the Pizzas/Tyvek summer tour

Loan modification success

All my 2009 baby friends (Billie, Paloma, Oscar)

Being married for one year

The Oh Sees Help

Dutchess & the Duke Sunrise/Sunset

Obits I Blame You

Lots and lots of good shows, records, and friends

Seeing Tyvek play the Paramount

The Mummies and The Brentwoods at Budget Rock

Megan Jasper
(Top 10 Sub Pop things other than good records)

Baby Billie!

Tony and Sonya’s wedding!

Dean and Lauren’s engagement

The introduction of Chuy Pancakes

Our amazing Sub Pop scholarship winners

Lavaman with Carly

Fleet Foxes on SNL!!

Mudhoney in Warsaw

Going to Willie Nelson’s house with Band of Horses!

Willie biting the mean mailman

Sue Busch
(Songs…..there are more than 10. Sorry.)

Memory Tapes “Bicycle”

Dum Dum Girls “Hey Sis”

The Big Pink “Count Backwards from Ten”

Mayfair Set “Desert Fun”

The Horrors “Scarlet Fields”

Animal Collective “In the Flowers”

Crystal Stilts “The Dazzled”

Micachu and the Shapes “Calculator”

Pains of Being Pure At Heart “Higher Than the Stars”

The XX “Crystalised”

No Age “You’re a Target”

Male Bonding “Pumpkin”

Girls “Morning Light”

Real Estate “Fake Blues”

Best Coast “When I’m With You”

Atlas Sound “An Orchid”

Grizzly Bear “Two Weeks”

Veronica Falls “Found Love In a Graveyard”

Angelina Saez

The Link Light Rail (yes I’m the only one in the office benefiting from this thing)

WFMU, one of our favorite independent free form online radio stations, is throwing the first (hopefully annual) WFMU Fest at the Music Hall of Williamsburg this weekend (Oct. 1-3)! I haven’t heard of anything as amazing going on in NYC this weekend, so there’s no excuse to miss it! The coolest part of the festival—Pissed Jeans are headlining Friday night!